About us

Meet our team

Heather Salmon

Heather Salmon (Staff)
Funding Manager

Heather Salmon

Heather participated on the 2027 Talent Programme, providing UK funders with frontline experience and fresh perspectives on the issues affecting funding and communities.

Heather has worked in a range of for-profit and not-for-profit roles, specialising in delivering people-centred change across a wide stakeholder group.


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  • JustRight Scotland-Roots of Refuge community event (June 2023)

    Pre-application Q&A webinar: 13 May 2024

    We're hosting a pre-application Q&A webinar on 13 May 2024 for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process or guidance.

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    Proposed changes to the Sentencing Council's guidelines

    The Sentencing Council has announced changes to their guidelines including new measures covering pregnancy and maternity. Earlier this year, they also launched a consultation on the Imposition of community and custodial sentences guideline. See the joint response of the Corston Independent Funders' Coalition.

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  • Black2Nature-children on a trip wildlife spotting.jpg

    Supporting a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment sector

    A new report by Hybrid Consulting and sam-culture reviews activity to address the lack of diversity in the environment sector. Commissioned by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Simon Wightman, Esmée's Funding Manager Lead for Our Natural World shares his reflections on the findings and Esmée's role.

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  • Esmée team at OrganicLea

    Foundation Practice Rating Year 3: How Esmee did

    The Foundation Practice Rating (FPR) has published its third annual report assessing foundations on three areas of practice: diversity, accountability and transparency. Below, we share more about how Esmée did.

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  • Entelechy Arts-Ambient_Jam_collective_bring_Leaf_Symphony_to_Siobhan_Davies_Dance_responding_to_the_exhibition_by_Kristin_Kerrigan- credit Roswitha Chesher

    Invitation to Tender: Equity in funding practice

    We are looking to work with a researcher to deliver a report analysing UK funding through the DEI Data Standard.

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  • Ughill Farm-Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust

    Collaborative learning about investing for environmental impact

    Jenny Sansom from Environmental Funders Network and Tom Colborne from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation share progress from the Environmental Finance and Learning Fund.

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  • Anti-Racist Cumbria.jpg

    Invitation to Tender: Racial Justice consultant

    We're looking to work with a consultant to help us think through how we best support organisations under our Racial Justice priority.

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  • Spiderweb

    Invitation to Tender: New Connections Network facilitator

    We are looking to work with a facilitator to support our New Connections Network, which will enable peer support and learning for funded organisations, as well as help shape Esmée's future processes and funding practice.

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  • Ecological Land Cooperative

    Invitation to Tender: Impact Investment deep dive on sustainable food and agriculture

    We're looking for a provider to develop a practical resource for impact investors, assessing the investment opportunity both through funds and direct, across sub-themes, which align with the theme of sustainable food and agriculture.

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  • Cumbria lakes

    Funder Commitment on Climate Change 2023 update

    Read our 2023 update on our work towards the six goals of the Funder Commitment on Climate Change.

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  • youth-led creativity panel

    Youth-led creativity Fund Q&A: 7 February

    Watch a Q&A webinar about our Youth-Led Creativity funding, which opens to applications on 14 February.

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  • 20221018_120834

    The RACE Report: Esmée’s progress

    The second annual RACE (Racial Action for the Climate Emergency) Report shared its latest findings on the diversity of the environment sector. They also shared Transparency Cards for each participating organisation. Here, we share more about Esmée's Transparency Card.

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  • esmee-lunch-finals-7775

    Esmée staff and Trustee diversity data 2023

    We carry out an annual survey of Trustees and staff to help us track progress on the diversity of our people. In 2023, we also asked a question on salary to help us understand our gender and ethnicity pay gaps.

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  • Youth-Led Creativity funding-wide

    Youth-Led Creativity funding

    We're excited to share our plans for our Youth-Led Creativity funding. Co-designed with Esmée's Involving Young People Collective, we reopen to applications from 14 February.

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  • OrganicLea-EFF visit5

    Pre-application Q&A webinar: 31 January

    Watch a pre-application Q&A we held on 31 January 2024 for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process or guidance.

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  • Nature Friendly Farming Network - EFF visit

    Nature Friendly Farming: Mid-strategy review

    Read the findings from a mid-strategy review of Esmée's Nature Friendly Farming work, which explores the changing context for Nature Friendly Farming in the UK, the drivers and blockers of progress, and shares insights and recommendations for Esmée's work.

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  • Woodland Trust-Smithills Estate-discussing forestry

    Using social investment to improve our natural world

    Sarah Hedley, Esmée’s Social Investment Portfolio Manager, writes about our social investment plans to improve our natural world. This is part of a series of blogs on how our social investment strategy will contribute to Esmée’s mission.

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  • Company Three-WHEN_THIS_IS_OVER_107.jpg

    Changing how we fund youth-led culture and creativity

    We are changing how we fund youth-led culture and creativity and plan to share our plans for a new funding programme in the New Year. To prepare, we will close to applications towards youth-led culture and creativity at 5pm on 10 November 2023.

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  • Woodland Trust-Smithills Estate-Still

    Developing our social investment strategy to support our mission

    Jonny Page, Esmée’s Head of Social and Impact Investment, outlines our plans for social investment and the opportunities it offers to support our mission.

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  • Spiderweb

    Testing a new approach to make New Connections

    We want to test a new approach to funding and are ringfencing £1.5m for New Connections funding to find and support organisations that could not, or would not, usually apply to Esmée. For the first phase in 2023 and 2024, we are starting with work led by and for communities experiencing racial inequity.

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  • Urban flowers in Sheffield ©Paul Hobson

    Pre-application Q&A webinar: 27 September 2023

    We hosted a pre-application Q&A webinar on 27 September for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process or guidance. Catch up on the recording and see all the questions answered.

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  • Strategic plan 2020-2025.png

    Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s strategy extended to 2027

    Esmée’s Trustee Board have agreed a two-year extension to our 2020 strategy, committing to our current funding priorities to the end of 2027.

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  • New trustees

    Esmée Fairbairn Foundation welcomes three new Trustees

    We are excited to welcome three new Trustees to Esmée’s Board: Elspeth Jones, Clare Moriarty and Mary Ann Sieghart.

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  • Bannau Brycheiniog, Wales

    Blue Spaces – Wales: our approach to assessing expressions of interest

    Earlier this year, we launched Blue Spaces – Wales, with an open call for expressions of interest for projects that support communities to improve their local freshwaters. Jenny Wheeldon, Esmée’s Freshwater Partnerships Manager, shares our approach to assessing applications and what’s next.

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  • Still Standing by Victor Ehikhamenor, St Paul's Cathedral - Image credit: Igwatala

    Inclusive Histories: engaging communities to reflect our shared past

    A new report on Inclusive Histories by British Future explores how arts and culture organisations are reflecting the complexity of our shared past, engaging communities to help shape the work, and navigating polarised responses.

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  • Articulate Cultural Trust (ACT)-Five young care experienced people standing on Abriachan Bridge.jpg

    Our response to the draft Children’s Social Care National Framework

    Janet Grauberg, Esmée’s learning partner for our Leaving Care Learning Programme, shares her reflections on the Government’s draft Children’s Social Care Framework and Dashboard, and how we and organisations we work with, have responded.

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  • AR-2022-frontpage

    Annual Report and Accounts for 2022

    Our 2022 Annual Report gives an overview of our operations, funding and investments during the year.

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  • Theatr Clwyd-Windows 4

    Funding Plus 2023 survey findings

    We asked people to share their experiences of capacity building support to help us understand what organisations most need right now.

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  • University of Derby Theatre-Odyssey - credit Earta Johnson.jpg

    Pre-application Q&A webinar: 20 June 2023

    We're hosting a pre-application Q&A webinar on 20 June for organisations interested in applying to Esmée for support who have questions about our application process or guidance.

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